1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a computer system, and more particularly to a technique for optimizing an idling time of a computer or other peripheral equipment of the computer system. It also relates to a print control system of a printer for optimizing an idling time to extend a lifetime by preventing wear of parts of the printer, prevent noise by the idling operation and reduce an overhead time due to start and stop of the printer.
A rise time which is inherent to a printer is required before parts of the printer reach their operating speeds and the actual printing is permitted, after the start-up of the printer. It is a general trend that the rise time is longer as the printer speed is higher because the printer of higher speed has a larger printing mechanism.
Accordingly, if the printer mechanism is stopped immediately after the end of print and the printer receives print data immediately after the stop, the above rise time is required and the start of the actual printing is delayed. If the printer is not stopped assuming that data will be continuously sent, the printer mechanism continues the idling operation until data is received and the printing is started. As a result, it causes noise and wear of the printer parts, and in an electrophotographic printer, deterioration of a photoconductor drum or a photoconductive belt.
In a prior art printer, in order to solve the above problems, the printer is kept idling after the printing, waiting for data to be sent, but the wait time is timed out in a predetermined time, or a motor activation time is set from a computer (host system) to the printer as disclosed in JP-A-55-118143.
In the prior art, an elapsed time of data transfer to the printer is compared with a designated monitor time (reference value), and when the elapsed time exceeds the reference value, it is regarded as the end of print data and a print drive motor in the printer is stopped. In the prior art, when the printing is to be started after the motor has been stopped, the motor is started after the data is sent and the printer has to wait until a steady state is reached. No solution therefor is proposed.
The reference interval may be set by an operator to any value which is optimum to a system connected to the printer.